Radio apparatus



March 12, 1929. F, saunv 1,705,056

RADIO APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 attoznaw MarCh 12,1929. ASBURY 1,705,056

RADIO APPARATUS Filed Dec; 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 bdz 4D. Asbpucg,

March 12, 1929. p. F. AsBuRY" 1,705,056

RADIO AHARATUS 4 Filed 000.1. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A um Mai-ch 12,1929- sBu 1,705,056

RADIO APPARATUS Filed Dec. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,afw,

Patented Mar. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

nonsmr r. ASBUBY, or BROOMESXISLAND, MABYLAND.

'mmo APPARATUS.

Application filed December 1, 1925. Serial No. 72,514.

My invention relates to radio apparatus, particularly to receiving setsemploy1ng plural tuning units, and my ob eet, generally speaking, is toprovide means for operating the tuning units of a receiving setcollectively and individually for the purposes set forth in my copendingapplica- Fig. 2;

tions serially numbered 683,756; 687,080; 689,338 and 690,795.

More specifically my present purpose to gain simplicity in constructionand compactness in the arrangment of the parts of a plural tuning unitreceiving set and to facilitate the tuning of such sets by disposing thetuning units in a novel relation to one another and providing a commonoperator therefor 1n the form of a single member effective when in oneposition to operate said units collectively and tiltable to differentpositions in which it is effective tooperate said units individually.

It also is my present purpose to provide in connection with my ti-ltableoperator, means whereby tendency to impart other than tilting'movementto the same during tilting thereof is substantially eliminated; means toguide such operator during tilting thereof in the proper direction withrespect.

to any individual part to be operated means whereby said operator may becaused to operate the tuning units at difierent speeds with respect toone another; means whereby said operator may be held out of operativerelation with all of the tuning units to permit operation of the latterby means other than said tiltable operator; and, should the tuning unitsever be individually adjusted tosueh an extent as to destroy asubstantially synchronized tuning relation between them, to providemeans whereby said tuning units may quickly and easily be restored to asubstantially synchronized tuning relation, so that when they areadjusted collectively, they will tune with any given wave lengthsubstantially simultaneously.

Vith the foregoing and other purposes in view, my invention consists inthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partsas Will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

Inthe drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in the different views 2- Fig. 4, an end view of theslotted head of the operator supporting member;

- Fig. 5, a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified arrangement oftuning units and operator; U

Fig. 6, ahorizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the operator tilted foroperating an indi vidual tuning unit;

Fig. 8, 'a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the operator secured out ofoperative relation to all tuning units whereby the letter may beoperated individually by means other than my operator;

Fig. 9, a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10, an end view of theslotted head of the operator supporting member used with the two tuningunit receiving set shown in Figs. 5 to 9;

Fig. 11, a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the operator of Figs. 5 to 9associated with a three tuning unit receiving set;

Fig. 12, a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a further modification of myinvention;

Fig. 13, a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14, a detail view showing an arrangement of my invention in which asingle tiltable operator maybe made to collectively operate all three oronly two units of a three tuning unit receiving set.

Referring to the drawings in detail, first to Figs. 1 to 4, it will beobserved that I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a radioreceiving set including three tuning units 10, 11 and 12 in the form ofvariable plate condensers, each including, as usual a stator a and arotor b, said condensers being mounted upon one side of a panel 13 withthe axes of their rotors 6, preferably but not necessarily intersectingat a common point, whereby they are conveniently disposed with respectto one another for oporation by a single member, designated generally at14, disposed on the reverse side of panel 13 from the tuning units.

Member 14 is in the form of a dial or wheel having a central borewithinwhich is arranged a tube having an outwardly dp rected lateralflange 16 at its outer end engaging a shoulder on the dial, and havingan inwardly directed lateral flange 17 at its inner end surrounding asleeve 18 mounted on a stud 19 projecting outwardly from panel 13, saidflange titling around saidsleeve more orless loosely, whereby said dialis mounted in apermanent operative relation with respect to the tuningunits 10. 11

and 12 for rotation, for movement bodily outwardly and inwardly withrespect to panel 13, and for tilting movement, said stud 19 beingprovided with an enlarged head 20 and said sleeve 1-8 being in contactat its inner flanged end with the panel 13,

and at its outer end with said head, whereby a nut 21 threaded on theinner end of stud 19, which latter extends through an opening 22 in thepanel, may be tightened against a washer 23 disposed between it and nelsformed by splitting said sleeve. tween said disk or washer and the head20 the inner face of the panel to rigidly secure said stud'to the panel.

Sleeve 18 is split longitudinally as bestshown in Fig. 3, and withintube 15 is a r ranged a disk or washer 24, surrounding sa1d sleeve andheld against rotation by means of teeth 25 thereon operating within thechgnof stud 19 are three intersecting slots 31,

32, 33 extendin respectively, in the direction of the tuning units 10,11 and-12, while threaded or otherwise secured in tube 15 and closingthe outer end of the latter is a plug 34 carrying centrally thereof uponits inner face a pin35 extending. normally into said slots at theirpoint of intersection and adapted to travel in any one of them duringtilting of the operator 14 to guide said operator in the properdirection with respect to a selected individual tuning unit to beoperated.

Projecting from the outer face of plug 34, centrally thereof, is a pin36 of small diameter adapted to be engaged between the fingers of aperson manipulating operator 14 (see Fig. 5) whereby tilting of saidoperator may be effected without tendency to impart other movementsthereto, thisbeing of importance when itis desired to adjust tion aswould effect movement of operator 14 to rotate the disks 27, 28 or 29and destroy the adjustment of any tuning unit once correct adjustmentthereof has been made.

Operator 14 normally is urged to the position shown in Figures 1 and 2into frie tional driving Contact with the edges of disks 27, 28 and 29by spring 26, said operator reacting from each disk upon the others dueto the angular relation of said operator with respect to said diskswhereby it bears with substantially even force on each disk, so that byrotating said operator said disks and their associated rotors F) may berotatably adjusted collectively. If, on the other hand, it is desired toadjust any rotor b individually, operator 14 is tilted (see Fig. 7 )7about its point of contact with the disk 2 28 or 29, as the case may be,of the selected unit to be adjusted, out of. contact with the disks ofthe remaining units, and then rotated to impart thedesired amount ofindividual adjustment to such selected unit. In this connection it willbe observed that the bearing formed by flange 17 surrounding sleeve 18normally is in a plane tangent to disks 2?, 28 and 29 and issufficiently loose whereby tilting of the operator about its point ofcontact with any individual disk is permitted without tendency of theoperator to creep or slide on the disk upon which it is tilted. Also, itwill be observed that the opening 22 in panel 13 through which stud 19passes is sufficiently large to permit stud 19 and consequently operator14 to be adjusted towards or away from any particular condenser orcondensers, to cause the rotors b of the latter to be rotated atdifferent rates of speed with respect to one another during rotation ofator at a constant rate of speed.

, The provision of disk or washer 24 between flange 17 and spring 26overcomes any tendency of said spring to wind during rotation ofoperator 14 and thereafter to said operact torsionally to destroyadjustments of the rotors I) made by means of said operator. Disks 27,28 and 29 are ormed from any suitable pliable material whereby they maybe bent (see Fig. 2) to dispose different peripheral portions thereof agreater or less distance from-the axis of operator 14 whereby J rotationof said operator at a constant rate of speed will cause any one or moreof rotors b to rotate at variable rates of speed, this for the purposeof causing each tuning unit to tune at substantially the same instantwith any given wave length when the units are moved collectively byoperator 14 and assuming that the speed of rotation of one or more ofthe rotors I) must be increased or diminished at predetermined times tomaintain a substantially synchronized tuning re lation between all ofthe units.

A stop-device is associated with each rotor b to limit rotation thereofand said stop devices preferably are adjustable so that when each of thedifferent tuning units is tuned correctly with a given wave length saidstop devices may be secured in position to limit movement of the resctive rotors b beyond their correctly tune positions, the result beingthat if for any reason a substantially s nchronized tuning relationbetween the different tuning units is destroyed, as, for exam le, if toogreat an amount of individual a justmentbe imparted to any one or moreunits, a substantlally synchonized tuning relation of the units mayreadily and easily be restored simpl by rotating each of the rotors buntil tie respective stops become effective to limit further movementthereof, this being accomplished by rotating operator 14 until the stopsofthe different units successively become effective to limit furthermovement'of the rotors b, operator 14 sliding with respect to the disksas they successively are halted b their sto devices, and when all diskshave een halte operator 14 then being lifted out of contact with thedisks and rotated until the graduation thereon corresponding to the wavelength with which the tuning units are tuned, is registered with asuitable pointer on the panel 13, when the apparatus'is in readiness forcorrect collective adjustment of the tuning units'by operator 14. 'Anypreferred stop arrangement may be employed, the arrangement illustratedbeing of conventional form and for each unit consisting of a lug 37 onthe disk associated with that unit'and a. screw 38 disposed in the pathof movementof the lug and threaded in panel 13 whereby it may beadjusted to stop said disk at a desired point.

In Figures 5 to 10 I have shown an arrangement in which ;an operator.14' of sub-- stantially the same construction and having the same modeof operationas operator 14 is adapted for operating-a pair of ordinarydials 41, 42 disposed on the same side'of a panel 13' as operator 14'and attached to the rotors b of a pair of variable platecondenserslocated'to the opposite side of said panel. In this form of my inventionoperator 14' is provided with a band 43 of rubber or other. suitablefriction'material engaging the dials 41, 42, and head 20. of stud 19 isprovided with a single straight slot 44 in which the pin '35 is guided,this being all that is necessary since a two tuning unit arthe parts itis intended to operate by pulling the same outward against the force ofspring 2601' 26' as the case may be and then engaging pin 35 or 35 asthe case may be against the outer face of head 20 or 20'.

Fig. 11 shows an obvious adaptation of the operator of Figs. 5 to 10 toa three tuning unit receiving set, the only change required over theconstruction of operator shown in Figs. 5 to 10 to effect such adatation being an angular formation of the s ots in the head of pin .19 asshown in Fig. 4.

In Figures 12, 13 and 14 I have shown a further modified constructionhaving, however, the mode of operation characteristic of theconstructions shown in the other forms of my invention. The tuning units10, 11, 12 are arranged as in Fig. 1, that is, with the axes of theirrotors b preferably intersecting at a common point, rigid disks 27, 28"and 29 being substituted for the corresponding pliable disks of thepreferred-construction. Upon the frames of the condensers 10 11 and 12is mounted a plate 50 and carried by this plate is a bearing for a shaft51 on which is mounted a disk 52 normally engaging the peripheries ofdisks 27, 28 and 29 whereby collective adjustments are imparted to therotors b when said shaft is rotated.

The aforementioned bearing for shaft 51 comprises a tubular member 53,shouldered exteriorly as at 54 and engaged through an opening in plate50 with its shoulder abutting the inner face ofsaid plate, a cap 55being threaded on the end of said member that projects beyond the outerface of plate 50 whereby said member is closed at itsouter end and heldrigid with respect -to said plate.

In the inner end of member is a reduced opening more or less looselyentered by the inner end of shaft 51, while contacting with the end faceof said shaft within tubular member 53 is the cone point of a plunger56,

urged into contact wlth the end of said shaft by a compression coilspring 57 interposed between said plunger and cap 55, said shaft thusbeing urged outwardly and the disk 52 carriedcthereby being urged asaconsequence normally into driving contact with the disks 27, 28 and29?.

Shaft 51 extends through an opening in panel 13 beyond the outer face ofsaid panel where it is equipped with a suitable operating wheel 58 andwith a pin 36 as and for to one another during rotation of the purposesset forth in connection with'the previously described embodiments of myinvention. v I

-A plate 59 is securedto panel 13 and in said plate are formed threeradial slots 60, 61 and (S2 alined, respectively, with the axes of therotors N of the tuning units 10, 11 and 12 whereby shaft 51 is guidedduring tilting movement thereof to a position to operate any rotorindividually. If desired, this plate may be arranged as shown in Fig.14, so that when shaft 51 is tilt'ed'it will be engaged with the disksof two tuning units and disengaged from the disk of a single unit,whereby any pair of tuningunits may be adjusted collectively.

The screws 63 that secure plate 50 'to the framesof the condensers passthrough enlarged openings 64 in said plate whereby the latter may 'beshifted thereby to shift the axis of shaft 51 and cause the rotors o tobe rotated at different speeds with respect said shaft at a constantrate of speed.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 12 and 13, the bearing forshaft 51 is disposed in a plane tangent to disks 27 28 and 29 wherebytilting of disk 52 is without tendency to slide on and effect theadjustment of the units. I

As is apparent the disks of Figures 12 and 13 may be formed either ofrigid or pliable material, and as is also manifest, said disks may bedisposed entirely to the rear of panel 13 whereby the necessity ofslotting the panel may be avoided.

I claim: r

1. In radio apparatus, a plurality of tuning units a part of each ofwhich is movable, an operator having a contacting portion common to aplurality of said movable parts, said operator being rotatable to movesaid movable parts and being tiltable to different positions in which itis effective to move said movable parts individually, and means wherebysaid operator is-supported for tilting movement about the point ofcontact of its contacting portion with the movable part of the tuningunit it is desired to adjust individually.

2. In radio apparatus, a plurality of tuning units a part of each-ofwhich is movable, an operator having a contacting portion common. to aplurality of said movable parts, said operator being tiltable todifferent positions in which it is effective to move said movable partsindividually, means constantly urging said operator in a direction tocause its contacting portion to contact with said 'n ovable parts, andmeans for portion out of contact with all of said movable parts. Y

3. In radio apparatus, a plurality of tuning units apart of each ofwhich is movable, a rotary operator located between and having acontacting portion common to a plurality of said movable parts, andmeans whereby the axis of rotation of said operator may be shifted withrespect to said movable parts to cause said movable parts to be moved atdifierent speeds with respect to one another during rotation. of saidoperator at a constant rate of speed.

4. ln radio apparatus, a tuning unit a part of which'is movable, arotary operator for moving said movable part,and a member of pliablematerial carried by said movable part and having peripheral contact withsaid operator for transmitting rotation of said operator to said movablepart, said member being formed of pliable material whereby itsperipheral portion may be bent into irregular form to causesaid movablepartto be rotated at variable angular velocities during rotation of saidoperator at a constant angular velocity.

holding said 'operatorJwith its contacting 5. In radio apparatus, thecombination with a plurality of tuning units a part of each of which isindividually movable, of an operator common to said movable partseffective to move them collectively; and a stop device associatedwiththe movable part of each tuning unit for limiting movement thereof, saidstop devices being adjustable whereby all of said tuning units may bestopped in correct tuning relation for any given wave length. e

6. In radio apparatus, a plurality of ad justable tuning units, arotatable operator normally in driving engagement with all of the units,and a mounting for said operator permitting its disengagement from allbut one of the units solely by an axial tilting movement thereof.

7. In radio apparatus, a plurality of ad justable tuning units, arotatable operator mounted for tilting movement into and out of drivingengagement with said units, and a pin carried by and coaxial with saidoperator adapted to be engaged by the hand to impart tilting movementstosaid operator, said pin being of small diameter whereby tendency torotate the operator during tilting movements thereof is substantiallyeliminated.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

DORSEY F. ASBURY.

